CVE-2022-24447 is a vulnerability identified in Zoho ManageEngine Key Manager Plus versions prior to 6200. The issue arises from a service exposed by the application that permits a user with the 'Operator' privilege level to access stored SSL certificates and their associated private key pairs during the export process. Normally, access to private keys and certificates should be tightly controlled and limited to highly privileged users, such as administrators, due to the sensitive nature of these cryptographic assets. The vulnerability effectively elevates the access rights of Operator-level users, allowing them to retrieve sensitive cryptographic material that could be used to impersonate services, decrypt confidential communications, or compromise the integrity of secure systems. The lack of a CVSS score indicates that the vulnerability has not been formally scored, but the technical details suggest a significant risk because private keys are critical for maintaining confidentiality and trust in secure communications. There are no known exploits in the wild reported at the time of publication, but the potential for misuse remains high given the nature of the exposed data. The vulnerability affects Zoho ManageEngine Key Manager Plus, a product used for centralized management of SSL certificates and keys, which is typically deployed in enterprise environments to streamline certificate lifecycle management and enhance security posture. The exposure of private keys undermines the foundational security guarantees provided by SSL/TLS and could lead to severe security breaches if exploited.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial. Many enterprises and public sector entities in Europe rely on ManageEngine Key Manager Plus to manage their SSL/TLS certificates and cryptographic keys. Unauthorized access to private keys can lead to man-in-the-middle attacks, unauthorized decryption of sensitive data, and impersonation of legitimate services, potentially resulting in data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage. The breach of cryptographic keys can also undermine compliance with stringent European data protection regulations such as the GDPR, which mandates robust protection of personal data and secure communication channels. Additionally, sectors with high security requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, could face operational disruptions and regulatory penalties if their cryptographic assets are compromised. The vulnerability could also facilitate lateral movement within networks if attackers leverage the stolen keys to access other systems or services. Given the centralized role of Key Manager Plus in certificate management, the scope of impact could be broad within affected organizations.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should immediately upgrade Zoho ManageEngine Key Manager Plus to version 6200 or later, where the issue has been addressed. In the absence of an available patch, organizations should restrict Operator-level user privileges to only those absolutely necessary and audit existing Operator accounts for any suspicious activity. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on the Key Manager Plus environment, including multi-factor authentication for all users with access to certificate management functions. Organizations should also consider rotating SSL certificates and associated private keys that may have been exposed, to invalidate any compromised credentials. Regularly review and enforce the principle of least privilege, ensuring that only trusted administrators have access to sensitive cryptographic material. Additionally, network segmentation and logging should be enhanced to detect and respond to any unauthorized attempts to export certificates or keys. Finally, organizations should maintain an incident response plan specifically addressing cryptographic key compromise scenarios.